Method and system of illuminating poured surfaces

ABSTRACT

A method of illuminating poured surfaces is provided. The method embeds fiber optic strands into poured surfaces during the formation thereof. Each fiber optic strand may be supported by a positioning apparatus prior to and during the pouring and setting of the poured surface, wherein no part of the positioning apparatus is visible above a top surface of the operable poured surface, yet the fiber optic strands are exposed near the top surface so as to form desired patterns of points of light.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to fiber optic illumination and, moreparticularly, a method of installing fiber optic illumination in pouredsurfaces.

Devices for providing lighting around a walkway often supply more lightthan needed and so washout or otherwise detract from the scenery aroundthe walkway, frustrating the lighting's aesthetic purpose or evencausing night blindness. Embedding fiber optics in the walkway itselfcan rectify this problem, but currently the only available walkwaycomponents are prefabricated with embedded fiber optics, which isprohibitively expensive and limits the surface area and shapes thewalkway can form.

As can be seen, there is a need for a method of installing fiber opticillumination in poured surfaces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a method of embedding fiberoptic strands in a poured surface, comprises the steps of: providing alight source being operative to radiate light; providing at least onefiber optic strand having an input end and an output end; opticallycommunicating each input end to the light source; providing at least onepositioning apparatus comprising: a driven portion; and a mountedportion configured to support the output end during the pouring of thepoured surface; defining a pouring space by a predetermined height, adesired shape and a ground surface; in a desired pattern, driving thedriven portion into the ground surface within the pouring space so thatthe mounted portion is near the predetermined height; joining the atleast on fiber optic strand to the at least one positioning apparatus sothat the output end protrudes above the mounted portion; pouring thepoured surface to fill the pouring space to near the predeterminedheight; removing the mounting portion before the pouring surface has setand after leveling a top surface of the pouring surface; and trimmingthe at least one fiber optic strand so the output end is flush with thetop surface.

In another aspect of the present invention, a illumination systemcomprises: a light source being operative to radiate light; at least onefiber optic strand having an input end and an output end, wherein eachinput end is in optical communication with the light source; a pouringspace defined by a predetermined height, a shape and a ground surface;at least one positioning apparatus comprising: a driven portion, whereinthe driven portion are connected to the ground surface within thepouring space; and a mounted portion mounted to the driven portion,wherein the mounted portion is configured to support the output endduring the pouring of the poured surface, and wherein the mountedportion is slightly higher than the predetermined height; joining meanssecurely joining the at least on fiber optic strand to the at least onepositioning apparatus so that each output end protrudes above themounted portion; and a poured surface filling the pouring space so as toembed a portion of the at least one fiber optic strand therein.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a power sourceand a light source of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of a positioningapparatus of the present invention prior to pouring a poured surface;

FIG. 4 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detail section view of an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method ofilluminating poured surfaces by embedding fiber optic strands intopoured surfaces during the formation thereof. Each fiber optic strandmay be supported by a positioning apparatus prior to and during thepouring and setting of the poured surface, wherein no part of thepositioning apparatus is visible above a top surface of the operablepoured surface, yet the fiber optic strands are exposed near the topsurface so as to form desired patterns of points of light.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, depict an illuminated surface 100constructed in accordance with the present invention. It is contemplatedthat the present invention may be particularly useful when used inconnection with poured concrete surfaces, but may be used for moodlighting in indoor hallways indoors or in RVs, as well as to light anyconcrete or poured plastic surface. As such, according to variousembodiments, the illuminated surface 100 may include a light source 12,a power source 14, a plurality of fiber optic strands 10, a plurality ofpositioning apparatuses 90 and a poured surface 32.

The light source 12 may include a light emitting diode (LED) lightengine or the like. Each fiber optic strand 10 has an input end and anoutput end opposite the input end, wherein each input end may be inoptical communication with the light source 12. The plurality of fiberoptic strands 10 or a portion thereof may be provided in at least onefiber optic bundle 16.

The poured surface 32 may be composed of concrete, asphalt, cement,grout, any composite material composed of water, coarse granularmaterial embedded in a hard matrix of material, plastic, plasticizedmaterial or the like. The poured surface 32 may be constructed byinstalling at least one pouring form 30 of a predetermined height andshape about a ground surface 28 that defines a pouring space. The atleast one pouring form 30 allows an individual to form the pouredsurface 32 into desired shape and heights that can be accommodated bythe ground surface 28. The poured surface 32, after drying, setting andor curing, forms a top surface 34.

Each position apparatus 90 may include a guide post 18, a joining strap20, a positioning sleeve 22 and a fiber spring 26.

Each guide post 18 may be a nail or the like with a lower portion and anupper portion opposite the lower portion. Each guide post 18 may begenerally perpendicularly connected to the ground surface 28 by, forexample, driving the lower portion into the ground surface 28 so thatthe upper portion terminates between the guide post 18 and thepredetermined height of the pouring form 30.

Each positioning sleeve 22 may define a channel. Each positioning sleeve22 may be generally perpendicularly connected to the ground surface 28so that the channel receives the upper portion of the guide post 18, asillustrated in FIG. 4. Each positioning sleeve 22 may be configured toallow safe passage for the at least one fiber optic strand 10 fromembedded within the poured surface 32 to the top surface 34. To thisend, each positioning sleeve 22 may provide a sleeve aperture 24 sizedso as to slidably receive at least one output end and a trailing portionof the at least one fiber optic strand 10.

Joining straps 20, such as for example, adhesive tape, are next employedfor securing together the guide post 18 and the complementary trailingportion of the at least one fiber optic strand 10 so that its output endis disposed above the predetermined height of the pouring form 30. Suchjoining straps 20 are also for positioning the output ends into desiredpatterns of points of lights.

The fiber springs 26 may be removably mounted to an upper portion of theguide posts 18 so as to receive the at least one output end and thetrailing portion of the at least one fiber optic strand 10. The fibersprings 26 may be a flexible member for keeping upright the output endand the trailing portion above the upper portion of the guide posts 18,especially during the pouring of the poured surface 32, yet flexibleenough to allow for adaptability of the position of said output endduring the post-leveling setting of the poured surface 32.

The fiber springs 26 may form a mounted portion of each positionapparatus 90, opposite a driven portion of each position apparatus 90,wherein the driven portion comprises the lower portion of each guidepost 18.

Referring to FIG. 6, the present invention may be furthermoreaccomplished by means of a method of installing fiber optic illuminationin poured surfaces 32 as demonstrated in the following steps: First,prior to pouring the poured surface 32, within the pouring form 30 of adesired shape and predetermined height, the plurality of guide posts 18are driven into the ground surface 28 near every point of a desiredpattern of points of light, with the upper portion of each guide post 18slightly lower than the predetermined height of the pouring form 30, instep 110. Subsequently, in step 120, the rigid positioning sleeve 22having at least one sleeve aperture 24 is positioned over each guidepost 18, thereby affording space for passage bores within the initiallypoured surface 32, and may be driven partly into the ground surface 28with the upper portion of the positioning sleeve 22 slightly higher thanthe predetermined height of the pouring form 30.

The light source 12 can then be placed in a nearby waterproof enclosure,with the desired number of fiber optic bundles 16 optically communicatedthereto, in step 130.

Individual fiber optic strands 10 are separated from the bundles 16 andpositioned within the space circumscribed by the pouring form 30 so thata strand 10 can be fed into each sleeve aperture 24 and then secured tothe guide posts 18 by the joining straps 20, in step 140.

Subsequently, a spring guide 26 is positioned over each protrudingoutput end, in step 150.

Then the poured surface 32, e.g., the concrete or the like, is poured tofill the pouring form 30, in step 160.

Before the poured concrete 32 has set, the positioning sleeves 22 areremoved, in step 170, so that the passage bores afforded by the sleeves22 are filled in by the poured surface 32.

As the poured surface 32 is leveled, the fiber springs 26 keep theoutput ends of the strands 10 upright, in step 180. Then, after thepoured surface 32 is leveled, the fiber springs 26 are removed.

After the concrete has set, additional cement is placed around anydefects around the strands 10, in step 190.

After 24 hours, all trailing portions of the at least one fiber opticstrand 10 is trimmed substantially flush with the top surface 34 so asto expose the output end at the top surface 34, in step 200.

The light source 12 is then electrically connected to the power source14, allowing the pattern of points of light to be lit at any time, instep 210.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of embedding fiber optic strands in apoured surface, comprising: providing a light source being operative toradiate light; providing at least one fiber optic strand having an inputend and an output end; optically communicating each input end to thelight source; providing at least one positioning apparatus comprising: adriven portion; and a mounted portion configured to support the outputend during the pouring of the poured surface; defining a pouring spaceby a predetermined height, a desired shape and a ground surface; in adesired pattern, driving the driven portion into the ground surfacewithin the pouring space so that the mounted portion is near thepredetermined height; joining the at least on fiber optic strand to theat least one positioning apparatus so that the output end protrudesabove the mounted portion; pouring the poured surface to fill thepouring space to near the predetermined height; removing the mountingportion before the pouring surface has set and after leveling a topsurface of the pouring surface; and trimming the at least one fiberoptic strand so the output end is substantially flush with the topsurface.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the driven portion comprisesa rigid positioning sleeve mounted on a guide post.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, wherein the positioning sleeve defines a sleeve aperture sizedso as to slidably receive a portion of the at least one fiber opticstrand.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the mounted portion comprisesa flexible fiber spring mounted on the guide post.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, further including providing a joining strap for joining the atleast on fiber optic strand to the at least one positioning apparatus.